Polarity reversing switch



March 3, 1953 J. w. LAWSON 2,630,507

POLARITY REVERSING SWITCH Original Filed Feb. 12, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 /N VEN TOE JOHN M LAWSON I H/S A T Toe N5 Y5 March 3, 1953 J. w. LAWSON 2,630,507

POLARITY REVERSING SWITCH Original Filed Feb. 12. 1947 2 SHEETSSl-IEET 2 8 5 f I III '1 56 28 L H N VE N TOE JOHN W L AWSON 1s A TTOENEY-S Patented Mar. 3, 1953 POLARITY REVERSING SWITCH John W. Lawson, Anderson, 11111., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Original application February 12, 1947, Serial No.

728,114. Divided and this application June 25, 1949, Serial No. 101,448

5 Claims.

This invention relates to electrical starting and ignition apparatus for automotive use, the present application is a division of my copending application entitled Ignition Polarity Reversing Switch, and filed February 12, 1947, under Serial Number 728.11%.

An object of the invention is to provide for 'eversal of the polarity of the ignition timer contacts each time the engine starter is used in order that pitting of the timer contacts will be reduced to the minimum.

The invention therefore provides an electromagnetically operated ignition polarity reversing switch which is caused to operate each time the engine starter control switch is closed.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an electromagnetically operated ignition polarity reversing switch embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view looking in the direction of arrow 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view in the direction of arrow 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. l is a fragmentary development of a sectional view taken on dot and dash line in Fig. 6, on an enlarged scale and projected in a single plane;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in the direction of arrow 6 of Fig. '7, certain parts of the switch case being removed;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 'll of Fig. 3;

' Fig. 8 is fragmentary sectional View on the line 8-43 of Fig. 7 drawn to a larger scale;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of movable switch contact carrier and three contacts moved thereby;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line iii-l of Fig. 9 and is drawn to a larger scale;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional View on line HH of Fig. 9 and is drawn to a larger scale;

Fig. 12 is a diagram showing the relation of the fixed and movable contacts of the polarity reversing switch;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view on the line Iii-i3 of Fig. '7 showing the inside of the stationary contact part of the switch.

I Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and a mounting bracket 28 supports a magnetizable shell or casing 2! having an inturned flange 22 which receives a magnetizable plate 23 supporting a magnetizable core 24. The core 24 supports a nonmagnetizable tube 25 which provides a guide for a magnetizable armature 26 fixed to a rod 21. The rod has annular rack teeth 28 meshing with a gear 29 which drives a shaft 30 which operates a polarity reversing switch in a manner to be described. The core 24 carries a rod 3| which extends into a hole 32 in the armature 26. A spring 33 surrounding rod 3| urges the armature 25 toward the left (Fig. 5)

The tube 25 is surrounded by a metal washer 35, an insulating washer 36, an electromagnet coil 31, an insulating washer 38, a metal washer a metal washer 40, a magnetizable washer 5i, and a magnetizable washer 42 having an annular flange 43 providing a support for the left end of tube 25. One end of the magnet coil is? is grounded and the other is connected by a wire is with a terminal 45 insulatingly supported by a housing or frame 46 attached by screws 41 (Fig. 7) to the washers 42 and 4|. A magnetizable tube 58 is located between the washers 23 and il. Before the frame 46 is assembled with the washers 42 and 4| and after the parts have been assembled within the shell 2|. as shown in Fig. 5, the left edge of the shell 21 is crimped over against the washer 42 thereby forming an inturned annular flange 49 which permanently secures the parts together.

The frame 46 provides a housing for a movable switch contact carrier 50 carrying three contacts 5!, each having two contact buttons 52 and two tangs 53 received by sockets 54 provided by carrier 59; each contact 5| provides a central button 55 providing a seat for a spring 56 received by a socket 51 provided by the carrier 56. The springs 56 urge the contacts 6! toward the switch cover or stationary contact carrier 60 retained on a shoulder Bl of frame 46 by bending tang B2 of the frame against the member 60.

The member 60 carries stationary contacts 63, G4, 65, G6, 8? provided by the heads of rivets 53a, 64a, 65a, 66a, and 61a respectively (Fig. 13). Rivets 63a and 67a are connected by a strap 68 with a terminal 69. Rivet 66a is connected with a terminal 76. Rivet 65a is connected with a terminal ll. Rivet 64a is connected by a strap 12 with a grounding terminal 73 insulatingly supported by the frame 46. The grounded end of magnet coil 37 is also connected with terminal 13.

When it is desired to start the engine the coil 31 is connected with a battery by closure of a normally open starter control switch not shown. When the starter control switch is closed the coil 3'! is energized to effect right movement of the armature 26.- This causes-clockwise rotation of the shaft 30 as viewed in Fig. 5, but the rotation of the contacts 5!, as viewed in Fig. 9, is counterclockwise. When the starter control switch is open the coil 31' is deenergized so that the spring 33 moves the armature 26 toward the left in Fig. 5 thereby causing counterclockwise rotation of the shaft 30 which would be clockwise as viewed in Fig. 9. The contacts 5| are not rotated clockwise however due to a ratchet mechanism. The ratchet mechanism comprises a ratchet sleeve I having a connection with the shaft 38 which provides for longitudinal movement of the sleeve I20. For this purpose the shaft is provided with flats i2i engageable with similar surfaces provided by a sleeve [28 as shown in Fig. 8. The contact carrier 52? which receives the sleeve iZil is provided with ratchet teeth I22 as shown in Fig. 11 which is engageable with similarly formed ratchet teeth of the sleeve !20, a spring I23 urges ratchet sleeve 128 against the ratchet teeth E22 of the carrier 50. To prevent the clockwise rotation of carrier til it is provided with six equally spaced projections $24 facing a ledge 625 of frame it, said ledge being provided with three equally spaced inclined projections I26 shaped as shown in Fig. 6A.

Each time the starter control switch opens, armature 26 moves left, to effect clockwise rotation of shaft 39 in Fig. 6. Ratchet sleeve 129 will move clockwise in Fig. 8 and may drag the carrier Si] in this direction the distance to take up the clearance between projection Ht thereof and the inclined projection 226. The contacts 63 to El are made oblong so that a slight reversal of movement of the contact carrier 53 is permitted without breaking any electrical con.- nections. Clockwise rotation of carrier 59 being arrested by the engagement of projections H24 and 126, further clockwise rotation of the shaft 38 causes the ratchet sleeve I20 to be thrown out of driving connection with the carrier 50. This will be apparent by reference to Fig. 11, in which clockwise rotation of the carrier St is represented by arrow E39. Continued clockwise rotation of sleeve lit in this direction causes the sleeve to move in the direction of arrow Hil which is left in Fig. '7.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A solenoid switch comprising in combination of a solenoid sub-assembly including a stationary core, a magnet winding and a movable armature; a rotatable contact sub-assembly, a fixed contact sub-assembly; a casing for the solenoid assembly; a housing for the contact sub-assemblies and attached to the casing; a rod attached to the armature and extending into the housing; a sleeve rotatably supported by at least one of the contact assemblies and capable of moving axially relative to the assemblies; a first ratchet provision between the sleeve and the movable contact sub-assembly for driving the rotatable contact sub-assembly in one direction of rotation; a shaft rotatably supported by the housing and having a spline connection with the sleeve for actuating the sleeve in either direction of rotation; a rack and gear provision provided by the rod and shaft for rotating the shaft; a second ratchet provision between the rotatable contact sub-assembly and the housins "to permit rotation of the rotatablecontact subassemblyin .one fclirection but preventingreverse 4 movements thereof upon reverse movements of the rack and gear provisions; and resilient means cooperating with the sleeve to exert a force thereon to make both ratchet provisions effective.

2. A solenoid switch unit comprising in combination, a solenoid sub-assembly including a stationary core, a magnet winding and a movable armature; a casing for the solenoid assembly; a rod having one end attached to the armature and having the other end extending into a frame fixed to the casing; a shaft rotatably supported by the frame and disposed at right angles to and beyond the axis of the rod; a carrier slidably and rotatably supported within the frame, said carrier supporting yieldable contacts for engagement with stationary contacts supported by the frame; a reciprocable sleeve driven by the shaft in either direction of angular movement thereof, said sleeve capable of moving axially with respect to the shaft and the carrier; ratchet provisions between the sleeve and the carrier whereby the sleeve drives the carrier step-by-step in one direction of rotation; ratchet provisions between the carrier and frame for preventing reverse movement of the carrier; provisions carried by the shaft and the rod and cooperating to rotate the shaft in either direction of rotation depending upon the movement of the armature; and resilient means acting on the sleeve for maintaining both of the ratchet provisions effective.

3. A solenoid switch unit comprising in combination, a solenoid sub-assembly including a stationary core, a magnet Winding and a movable armature; a casing for the solenoid assembly; a rod having one end attached to the armature and having the other nd extending into a frame fixed to the casing; a shaft rotatably supported by the frame and disposed in a different plane and at an angle with respect to the axis of the rod; a carrier slidably and rotatably supported on the shaft, said carrier supporting biased contacts for engagement with stationary contacts supported relative thereto; a reciprocal sleeve driven by the shaft; ratchet provisions provided by the sleeve and carrier whereby the sleeve drives the carrier in one direction of rotation; means for preventing reverse movement of the carrier after same has moved a certain angular distance in said one direction; a gear and rack arrangement provided by therod and shaft for rotating the shaft a predetermined distance to move the carrier stey-by-step in said one direction when the armature is actuated; and spring means for urging the sleeve in one direction for maintaining both ratchet provisions effective.

4. In a combined solenoid unit and switch unitadapted to be detachably connected, a solenoid unit including a shell enclosing a tube, a stationary core, a magnet winding about the tube, a movable armature slidably mounted in the tube, and a washer for closing one end of the shell and serves as an attachingbase for the switch unit, said washer'having a tubular flange through which the tube and armature extend, and a rod having one end attached to the outer end of armature; a switch unit housing detachably secured upon said washer and "enclosing the rod and armature; a driven shaft rotatably supported by the housing; switch mean in said housing including a carrier ax ally and ,rotat.

tral opening through which the shaft extends, said carrier supporting biased contacts for engagement with stationary contacts supported by the housing; and means for controlling the movement of the carrier, said means including a biased sleeve slidably splined on the driven shaft; ratchet means between the sleeve and carrier whereby the sleeve drives the carrier in one direction of rotation; ratchet means between the carrier and housing for preventing rotation of the carrier in the opposite direction; and a gear and rack arrangement provided by the shaft and rod for rotating the shaft when the armature is actuated.

5. A solenoid switch unit comprising in combination; a solenoid unit including a movable armature; a rack attached to the armature; a shaft rotatably supported at an angle to and at one side of the axis of the rack; a reciprocable contact carrier surrounding the shaft; yieldable contacts supported by the carrier; stationary contacts adapted to be engaged by the yieldable contacts; a reciprocable member having a spline connection with the shaft and driven by the shaft in either direction of rotation; ratchet means between the member and carrier whereby the member drives the carrier in one direction' of rotation; ratchet means between the carrier and a stationary part for preventing rotation of the carrier in the opposite direction of rotation and resilient means for urging the member in one direction to make both ratchet means effective.

JOHN W. LAWSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 856,085 McNally June 4, 1907 1,032,880 Caven July 16, 1912 1,298,728 Jackson Apr. 1, 1919 1,924,776 Flanders et al Aug. 29, 1933 2,398,259 Slayton Apr. 9, 1946 

